A new bond idea is set afloat at school board meeting
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service
A relatively small bond that details necessary projects at each Central District building – one that completely drops a proposal to construct a new Monmouth Elementary School – likely would have a much better chance of passing this spring than the one that failed on last month’s ballot, according to Shannon Ball, a parent volunteer known for her activism in local education.
“Go out for a smaller, specific bond that doesn’t include deferred interest,” she urged, adding that district officials should consider an exploratory committee for the outcome of Monmouth Elementary School.
Ball made her comments Monday night at the Central School District Board meeting – and her opinion was backed up by other parents, who told Trammart News they agreed with her.
If the CSD Board presents another voter-approved bond in May that makes replacement of Monmouth Elementary School a priority, it is doomed to fail, some parents said. Though several didn’t want to be identified by name, they called for recognition of their view, warning that public opinion is likely to be altered favorably only by passage of a bond that gives near-immediate attention to current infrastructure problems.
Taxes are going up next year via CSD, with or without the bond, according to one local homeowner. "This year those taxes, even without that six-cent or so increase from the bond, will go up by quite a bit," he said.
Others have said the district needs to emphasize swift action was taken after the "tax surprise" of 2023. The firm hired by the district to issue the bond recommendation had advised that change; As a result, CSD no longer retains that bond counsel for bond planning purposes, according to district sources.
A smaller bond could accomplish the repairs and restoration, such as fixing leaky roofs and installing appropriate drainage to make outdoor play areas fully functional at elementary schools. This would demonstrate visible gains with tax dollars, potentially paving the way for a bigger bond, a few suggested.
Lack of public “trust” and a “disconnect” with some voters were two words used by board member Melanie Landon-Hays to describe possible reasons behind the recent bond defeat. Improved communication about the “constraints we are under” would be one way to address that, she said.
“There was also a misunderstanding that voting yes was akin to giving a blank check,” said Board Member Susan Graham, who reported on a post-election discussion by the “facilities committee,” which was largely responsible for the information campaign promoting the bond. Graham was at tabling events with pamphlets and was present at many of the tours and forums offered by the district.
Though the school board seems to have made replacement of Monmouth Elementary School a priority, an informal survey of families conducted by Trammart News a few months ago showed the public is confused about why an entirely new school is necessary to meet safety concerns. The multiple individual doors of the “California model” by which Monmouth Elementary School was built – with many separate buildings – is seen by district officials as making it vulnerable to intruders.
However, one of the questions posed by Ball at the meeting touched on this point: Could modifications answer that? The concept of safety being so compromised by four dozen doors seems lacking in evidence to some.
In fact, many Southern California schools that have been built with the same general architectural plan are now protected by fencing, which was installed specifically for security purposes. The California Department of Education advises implementing what is termed “territorial protection” measures, such as fences, walls and other barriers that limit entry points to a few gates. Security cameras are also considered key by that state’s education-safety division. In her testimony, Ball called for specific language in what will be done with bond money.
This is an approach currently being undertaken by Polk County as it prepares to launch a local-option levy. In a brief interview this week, Polk County Administrator Greg Hansen explained three critical elements that the county will be including so that voters “pretty much know precisely what they’ll be getting.” The levy aims to improve Polk County Fairground facilities. The levy hasn't been formalized or adopted for the May ballot, but a hearing on it is scheduled in early January, Hansen explained.
The county is keeping it as low-cost as possible – 15 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value – and it spells out in detail what the money will finance, from new administrative office space to refurbishment of walkways. Those two elements – low on cost, high on specifics – are considered essential, Hansen said.
Though county staff haven’t promoted the concept of a bond – nor can they under Oregon law – the facts showing need have been aired year after year in a public way, in Fair Board reports that show growth in attendance at the site against a background of deferred maintenance. This has been repeatedly conveyed.
Several at the county said they hope this continual message – having to work around areas of disrepair on the Fairground campus – will resonate with voters who are likely to be familiar with those circumstances by now.
However, “we know we will have competition,” Hansen said. Both CSD and the City of Dallas are expected to have bonds on the ballot this May – and Independence seems likely to do so, as well, he noted.
Ball said she is advocating for a “scaled-back” school bond, and pointed out that if it passes, the state will release another $6 million to the district. That could go a long way toward the enhancements being sought for schools, she said. ▪
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service
A relatively small bond that details necessary projects at each Central District building – one that completely drops a proposal to construct a new Monmouth Elementary School – likely would have a much better chance of passing this spring than the one that failed on last month’s ballot, according to Shannon Ball, a parent volunteer known for her activism in local education.
“Go out for a smaller, specific bond that doesn’t include deferred interest,” she urged, adding that district officials should consider an exploratory committee for the outcome of Monmouth Elementary School.
Ball made her comments Monday night at the Central School District Board meeting – and her opinion was backed up by other parents, who told Trammart News they agreed with her.
If the CSD Board presents another voter-approved bond in May that makes replacement of Monmouth Elementary School a priority, it is doomed to fail, some parents said. Though several didn’t want to be identified by name, they called for recognition of their view, warning that public opinion is likely to be altered favorably only by passage of a bond that gives near-immediate attention to current infrastructure problems.
Taxes are going up next year via CSD, with or without the bond, according to one local homeowner. "This year those taxes, even without that six-cent or so increase from the bond, will go up by quite a bit," he said.
Others have said the district needs to emphasize swift action was taken after the "tax surprise" of 2023. The firm hired by the district to issue the bond recommendation had advised that change; As a result, CSD no longer retains that bond counsel for bond planning purposes, according to district sources.
A smaller bond could accomplish the repairs and restoration, such as fixing leaky roofs and installing appropriate drainage to make outdoor play areas fully functional at elementary schools. This would demonstrate visible gains with tax dollars, potentially paving the way for a bigger bond, a few suggested.
Lack of public “trust” and a “disconnect” with some voters were two words used by board member Melanie Landon-Hays to describe possible reasons behind the recent bond defeat. Improved communication about the “constraints we are under” would be one way to address that, she said.
“There was also a misunderstanding that voting yes was akin to giving a blank check,” said Board Member Susan Graham, who reported on a post-election discussion by the “facilities committee,” which was largely responsible for the information campaign promoting the bond. Graham was at tabling events with pamphlets and was present at many of the tours and forums offered by the district.
Though the school board seems to have made replacement of Monmouth Elementary School a priority, an informal survey of families conducted by Trammart News a few months ago showed the public is confused about why an entirely new school is necessary to meet safety concerns. The multiple individual doors of the “California model” by which Monmouth Elementary School was built – with many separate buildings – is seen by district officials as making it vulnerable to intruders.
However, one of the questions posed by Ball at the meeting touched on this point: Could modifications answer that? The concept of safety being so compromised by four dozen doors seems lacking in evidence to some.
In fact, many Southern California schools that have been built with the same general architectural plan are now protected by fencing, which was installed specifically for security purposes. The California Department of Education advises implementing what is termed “territorial protection” measures, such as fences, walls and other barriers that limit entry points to a few gates. Security cameras are also considered key by that state’s education-safety division. In her testimony, Ball called for specific language in what will be done with bond money.
This is an approach currently being undertaken by Polk County as it prepares to launch a local-option levy. In a brief interview this week, Polk County Administrator Greg Hansen explained three critical elements that the county will be including so that voters “pretty much know precisely what they’ll be getting.” The levy aims to improve Polk County Fairground facilities. The levy hasn't been formalized or adopted for the May ballot, but a hearing on it is scheduled in early January, Hansen explained.
The county is keeping it as low-cost as possible – 15 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value – and it spells out in detail what the money will finance, from new administrative office space to refurbishment of walkways. Those two elements – low on cost, high on specifics – are considered essential, Hansen said.
Though county staff haven’t promoted the concept of a bond – nor can they under Oregon law – the facts showing need have been aired year after year in a public way, in Fair Board reports that show growth in attendance at the site against a background of deferred maintenance. This has been repeatedly conveyed.
Several at the county said they hope this continual message – having to work around areas of disrepair on the Fairground campus – will resonate with voters who are likely to be familiar with those circumstances by now.
However, “we know we will have competition,” Hansen said. Both CSD and the City of Dallas are expected to have bonds on the ballot this May – and Independence seems likely to do so, as well, he noted.
Ball said she is advocating for a “scaled-back” school bond, and pointed out that if it passes, the state will release another $6 million to the district. That could go a long way toward the enhancements being sought for schools, she said. ▪
What's behind low 3rd-grade state test scores for Latino-Hispanic students?
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service
Recently released state test scores for third graders in Central School District indicate only 27% are at grade level in English Language Arts – and more than twice as many white-Caucasian students show proficiency (37%) compared with Hispanic-Latino (16%).
Is there a better way to assess such lagging students? A school board member suggested this past fall that the testing itself can be a setback for some.
Third grade is considered a make-or-break point in public education. “Research shows that students who can't read at grade level by third grade are four times more likely to leave high school without a diploma,” according to the district’s website.
The state report shows CSD third-grade language arts scores are flat over last year; The state average for third grade is 40%.
Latino-Hispanic students can face special stress from tests, noted CSD Board Member Jann Jobe. Earlier this fall, she observed that members of same group undergo periodic English Language Proficiency Assessment, a test measures and reports on students’ English language proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and comprehension.
Jobe, a former teacher who served as an interim principal at Central High School, said these students can experience a deep-seated sense of failure from such testing, which may dramatically impact their attitude about school. “I have seen them in tears,” she said.
In a brief conversation after the CSD school board meeting Monday night, Jobe said she favors, in some cases, a “portfolio approach” that would examine and evaluate student work and achievement over longer intervals of time rather than the traditional “snapshot” from a once-a-year state test.
The portfolio is a collection of student work, from essays to writing exercises, which assesses progress over months. But the portfolio method can take a lot of teacher time to provide guidance and evaluate growth, Jobe pointed out.
Following Jobe’s comments this past fall, some community members said they also question the single-test method. Jennifer Ranstrom-Smith, a former Independence city councilor who graduated from Central High School, said there was “a cultural divide” when she attended CSD schools, and she remains concerned about those separations when the school experience should be a “melting pot.”
However, outside support plays a big role, too, she said. “Parental, family involvement is key,” Ranstrom-Smith said.
CSD, like other districts across the state, has been battling chronic absenteeism. However, the tide of absences seems to be turning. Last year, CSD's regular attenders were up five percent over the previous one – with substantial gains in attendance at Independence Elementary School and Central High School, said CSD Superintendent Jennifer Kubista.
Kubista added that there has been good growth in both English language arts at the third grade level and in attendance. She made the observation at the last school board meeting.
Attendance went from 58 percent to 63 percent of students who are there regularly – defined as attending school 90 percent or more of the time. However, though a majority of white and Asian students are regular attenders, Hispanic-Latino students are lower in that metric, too. Only 58% are classified as achieving regular attendance. ▪
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service
Recently released state test scores for third graders in Central School District indicate only 27% are at grade level in English Language Arts – and more than twice as many white-Caucasian students show proficiency (37%) compared with Hispanic-Latino (16%).
Is there a better way to assess such lagging students? A school board member suggested this past fall that the testing itself can be a setback for some.
Third grade is considered a make-or-break point in public education. “Research shows that students who can't read at grade level by third grade are four times more likely to leave high school without a diploma,” according to the district’s website.
The state report shows CSD third-grade language arts scores are flat over last year; The state average for third grade is 40%.
Latino-Hispanic students can face special stress from tests, noted CSD Board Member Jann Jobe. Earlier this fall, she observed that members of same group undergo periodic English Language Proficiency Assessment, a test measures and reports on students’ English language proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and comprehension.
Jobe, a former teacher who served as an interim principal at Central High School, said these students can experience a deep-seated sense of failure from such testing, which may dramatically impact their attitude about school. “I have seen them in tears,” she said.
In a brief conversation after the CSD school board meeting Monday night, Jobe said she favors, in some cases, a “portfolio approach” that would examine and evaluate student work and achievement over longer intervals of time rather than the traditional “snapshot” from a once-a-year state test.
The portfolio is a collection of student work, from essays to writing exercises, which assesses progress over months. But the portfolio method can take a lot of teacher time to provide guidance and evaluate growth, Jobe pointed out.
Following Jobe’s comments this past fall, some community members said they also question the single-test method. Jennifer Ranstrom-Smith, a former Independence city councilor who graduated from Central High School, said there was “a cultural divide” when she attended CSD schools, and she remains concerned about those separations when the school experience should be a “melting pot.”
However, outside support plays a big role, too, she said. “Parental, family involvement is key,” Ranstrom-Smith said.
CSD, like other districts across the state, has been battling chronic absenteeism. However, the tide of absences seems to be turning. Last year, CSD's regular attenders were up five percent over the previous one – with substantial gains in attendance at Independence Elementary School and Central High School, said CSD Superintendent Jennifer Kubista.
Kubista added that there has been good growth in both English language arts at the third grade level and in attendance. She made the observation at the last school board meeting.
Attendance went from 58 percent to 63 percent of students who are there regularly – defined as attending school 90 percent or more of the time. However, though a majority of white and Asian students are regular attenders, Hispanic-Latino students are lower in that metric, too. Only 58% are classified as achieving regular attendance. ▪
When is sidewalk merchandise an intrusion?
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service
What’s the difference between a curbside landscape of plants-plus-sundries and a cluttered-up sidewalk? That’s what Kay Hales, proprietor of The Collection on Main, would like to know. “It’s hard to understand,” she said.
A recent letter from the City of Independence warned her that her “outdoor display and materials outside the business” are out of order, at least to some degree.
Just outside the storefront at 278 S Main Street is eye-catching merchandise to help capture customers as they walk by and, across the walkway under a tree is a landscape of potted plants and garden art.
What’s not to love? That was the reaction of another merchant, who said Hales dresses up the street in a way that brings color and character to the thoroughfare.
The city mandates a five-foot-wide path for “pedestrian travel,” a clearance that appears to be the case despite the merchandise. However, the letter also appears to point out the materials aren’t allowed at all in the public right-of-way, which Hales said she finds confusing; Also, no display can be left outdoors when the business isn’t open. Statuary by the tree is heavy and nearly impossible to repeatedly lug inside, she noted.
City Planning Manager Fred Evander, who signed the letter, was questioned about the restrictions contained within it. He acknowledged that three business have been sent notices. Also, the notifications appear to be complaint-driven – the letter is titled “Responding to Citizen Concerns.”
When told certain seasonal decorations also seem to be violating those same rules – a line-up of pumpkins had been placed outside the portal of one store for Thanksgiving, hand-crafted items were placed outside another for sale – Evander said he wasn’t sure when enforcement would begin, or whether it would be during the holiday period.
Asked where the city regulation could be found, Trammart News was referred to the ordinance in subchapter 33 of the city code, “Mixed Use Pedestrian Friendly Zone and Downtown Overlay Zone.”
However, on page 16 of that section, the text states that exterior displays are allowed for a week at a time, as long as they add “to the intrigue of the public realm without detracting from the overall character of the district by creating a cluttered environment.” A rack of sweaters is pictured, apparently to illustrate what a positive addition looks like.
Businesses that were queried had no idea about the city standard, and Hales was urged to reach out to Evander – she has indicated she intends to do so. One downtown customer who had met with Evander for professional reasons a couple of years ago said he is confident a compromise can be reached. “Fred is very collaborative,” he said. ▪
By Anne Scheck
Trammart News Service
What’s the difference between a curbside landscape of plants-plus-sundries and a cluttered-up sidewalk? That’s what Kay Hales, proprietor of The Collection on Main, would like to know. “It’s hard to understand,” she said.
A recent letter from the City of Independence warned her that her “outdoor display and materials outside the business” are out of order, at least to some degree.
Just outside the storefront at 278 S Main Street is eye-catching merchandise to help capture customers as they walk by and, across the walkway under a tree is a landscape of potted plants and garden art.
What’s not to love? That was the reaction of another merchant, who said Hales dresses up the street in a way that brings color and character to the thoroughfare.
The city mandates a five-foot-wide path for “pedestrian travel,” a clearance that appears to be the case despite the merchandise. However, the letter also appears to point out the materials aren’t allowed at all in the public right-of-way, which Hales said she finds confusing; Also, no display can be left outdoors when the business isn’t open. Statuary by the tree is heavy and nearly impossible to repeatedly lug inside, she noted.
City Planning Manager Fred Evander, who signed the letter, was questioned about the restrictions contained within it. He acknowledged that three business have been sent notices. Also, the notifications appear to be complaint-driven – the letter is titled “Responding to Citizen Concerns.”
When told certain seasonal decorations also seem to be violating those same rules – a line-up of pumpkins had been placed outside the portal of one store for Thanksgiving, hand-crafted items were placed outside another for sale – Evander said he wasn’t sure when enforcement would begin, or whether it would be during the holiday period.
Asked where the city regulation could be found, Trammart News was referred to the ordinance in subchapter 33 of the city code, “Mixed Use Pedestrian Friendly Zone and Downtown Overlay Zone.”
However, on page 16 of that section, the text states that exterior displays are allowed for a week at a time, as long as they add “to the intrigue of the public realm without detracting from the overall character of the district by creating a cluttered environment.” A rack of sweaters is pictured, apparently to illustrate what a positive addition looks like.
Businesses that were queried had no idea about the city standard, and Hales was urged to reach out to Evander – she has indicated she intends to do so. One downtown customer who had met with Evander for professional reasons a couple of years ago said he is confident a compromise can be reached. “Fred is very collaborative,” he said. ▪
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